The present invention relates to an air compressor together with items to be replaced, which are used during the operation of the compressor body.
Periodical replacement of items to be replaced (spare parts) is indispensable for an air compressor in order to use the air compressor in a safe and efficient condition for a long time. As specific examples of items to be replaced for an air compressor of oil feed type (in detail, oil is fed into the working chamber of the air compressor body), there may be exemplified a belt for transmitting a power between a compressor body and a motor, a suction filter provided in the suction side of the compressor body, for removing impurities from intake air, lubrication oil to be fed into the compressor body, a separator element for removing lubrication oil from compressed air produced from the compressor body, an oil filter for removing impurities from the lubricant oil, and the like. It is preferable to replace these items in dependence upon replacement interval periods stipulated in a maintenance manual.
Further, heretofore, there has been proposed a vehicle air-conditioner comprising an adding-up and recording means for adding up operating times of a compressor, a maintenance interval period setting means for previously setting maintenance periods (for example, cleaning periods or replacement interval periods for a dust removing filter, packing, seals, ducts, belts and the like) appropriate for parts for which the maintenances are required, a comparing means for comparing an operating time recorded in the adding-up and recording means, with a maintenance interval period delivered from the maintenance period setting means, and a display means for displaying the situation that the operating time becomes equal to a maintenance interval period (refer to, for example, JP-A-8-48133 (Patent Document 1)). The above-mentioned conventional technology is adapted to enhance the executing rate of maintenance by displaying the situation that the maintenance interval period expires, thereby it is possible to reduce failures caused by inferior maintenance.
Moreover, there has been proposed, for example, an engine driven heat pump comprising a timer for counting a service time of engine oil (in detail, an added-up operating time of an engine until the oil is exchanged), a display control means for controlling a display unit in accordance with a service time of the engine oil, and a function restraining means for restraining the operating function of the engine in accordance with a service time of the engine oil (refer to, for example, JP-A-2004-286243 (Patent Document 2)). In this conventional technology, the characters “Check” is displayed on the display unit when the service time of the engine oil comes up to 9,800 hours (in other words, the time at which the exchange of engine oil is required, is approached), and thereafter, when the service time of the engine oil comes up to 10,000 hours (that is, comes up to the time at which the exchange of engine oil is required), the characters “L8” which indicates an operating condition of restricting the function of the engine, together with the characters “Check”, and the speed of the engine is restricted. That is, even though the exchange of engine oil has not yet been carried after the time of requiring the exchange of engine oil, the extended time operation of the engine is carried out under the restricted operating function of the engine without stopping the operation of the engine in order to satisfy the user's demand, more or less. Further, it is possible to allow the user to recognize the time of requiring a maintenance in view of not only the characters “Check” but also lowering of the operating function of the engine.
The above-mentioned conventional technology has raised the following problems. Namely, the items to be replaced include two kinds, that is, manufacturer's recommended items and substitutes (in other others, those other than the manufacturer's recommended items), and in general, the substitutes have shorter replacement interval periods in comparison with the manufacturer's recommended items although they are inexpensive. Further, in the conventional technology, should the timing of display of an expirations of a replacement interval period (or a restraint to the operating function due to the expiration of the replacement interval period) be set being based upon the replacement interval period of a manufacturer's recommended item, the timing would be delayed in the case of using a substitute thereof. Thus, there would be a possibility of longer time using of the substitute exceeding the replacement interval period inherent to the substitute. Thus, there have been raised a scope for improvements in view of safeties.